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Lynn Spampinato
Background * Moved back to Pittsburgh to work with Mark Roosevelt and the Pittsburgh Public Schools. * Called "Doctor" * Departed Pittsburgh after a conflict but kept a consultant salary. * Got a new job at US Virgin Islands and kept consultant salary from Pittsburgh, still. Links Blogs * http://republicpittsburgh.blogspot.com/2006/11/how-to-succeed-in-public-education.html from November, 2006 Media * Few details unveiled in Pittsburgh schools' Spampinato pact Post-Gazette, November, 2006 -- The agreement ending Lynn Spampinato's employment with the Pittsburgh Public Schools offers no insight into her abrupt departure and was written so as to minimize the taxpayers' chances of learning what went wrong. * School official may return from leave, turn consultant Post-Gazette, November, 2006 -- Mark Roosevelt said the school district and Lynn Spampinato had reached a 'mutual agreement' in which she would be 'relinquishing her full-time role' as the district's first deputy superintendent for instruction, assessment and accountability. Mr. Roosevelt said he was recommending the school board approve a consulting agreement with Dr. Spampinato to make her available 'to assist with academic initiatives.'" Details * written to minimize the taxpayers' chances of learning what went wrong. * The school board approved the agreement. Board President Bill Isler signed the agreement. * Dr. Spampinato lasted less than a year as the district's deputy superintendent for instruction, assessment and accountability. The district can hire another deputy superintendent. * Pgh Public Schools pays Lynn Spampinato $213,333 for consulting work through April 15, 2008. ** She will be paid in three installments -- $128,000 by Dec. 1, 2006; $42,667 by March 31, 2007 and $42,666 by Oct. 31, 2007. ** District Solicitor Ira Weiss last week said Dr. Spampinato will receive the $213,333 regardless of the amount of work she performs. * Lynn Spampinato will not to sue the district and relinquished her post. * a five-paragraph statement was released by Superintendent Mark Roosevelt on Nov. 13, 2006. Roosevelt recommended making Spampinato a consultant. * Joel Sansone is Spampinato's lawyer. * Went on paid leave Oct. 16, 2006. * Joined the district Dec. 28, 2006, with a three-year contract and base salary of $160,000 a year. * Dr. Spampinato promises not to disparage Mr. Roosevelt, board members or the district. * The agreement says Dr. Spampinato will perform work designated by the district and may be asked for quarterly reports. * Dr. Spampinato may contact district personnel only with permission from Mr. Roosevelt or his designee. Insights Media Schools to pay exec while on new job :Wednesday, August 15, 2007, By Eleanor Chute, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Lynn Spampinato, former Pittsburgh Public Schools deputy superintendent, has a new job but will continue to receive the remainder of a $213,333 consulting contract with Pittsburgh. Dr. Spampinato, a Lawrenceville native, yesterday was nominated as commissioner of education in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a post that would put her at the helm of the territory's Department of Education. The Virgin Islands has more than 30 schools on three islands and about 17,000 students. Her salary would be $110,000 a year. The nomination is subject to the consent of the legislature. The news release announcing her nomination said that in Pittsburgh, Dr. Spampinato "expertly provided senior level administration to a school community seeking improvement and reform." It did not specifically note her short tenure in Pittsburgh -- less than a year -- or her abrupt departure, which still has not been explained publicly. The release noted that Dr. Spampinato has 31 years of public school experience. Virgin Islands Gov. John P. deJongh Jr. said, "A close look at her background shows an interesting dichotomy of tenured involvement as well as short-term crisis management." Dr. Spampinato joined Pittsburgh on Dec. 28, 2005, with a three-year contract and a base salary of $160,000 a year. Her charge was to help Superintendent Mark Roosevelt devise and implement plans for an academic turnaround. In October 2006, she went on an abrupt leave. The following month, the school board approved an agreement calling for the district to pay her $213,333 for consulting work through April 15, 2008. She agreed to relinquish her position and not to sue the district. Both sides agreed to limit their public remarks to a brief statement describing her as a productive employee. The statement did not reveal what led to the leave and the departure. Pittsburgh Public Schools Solicitor Ira Weiss said her new job does not affect the consulting work or the pay for it, but he said the district is reviewing the situation to determine what, if any, impact it would have on benefits provided in the agreement. Reached by telephone, Dr. Spampinato said she will complete her consulting work for Pittsburgh on her own time. She said she is working on "a comparison of reports that have been done on career and technical education." She said she has "learned a lot" in her research and will submit the documents she is working on for Pittsburgh. As for her new job, Dr. Spampinato said, "It's very exciting. The governor really wants to turn education around, as everyone does. It's a great opportunity." She said she will be involved both in policy and operations of the schools. This is the second time in three years that Dr. Spampinato has left a job with a sizeable buyout. In 2004, after she had spent eight months as superintendent of Summit School District in Frisco, Colo., the district bought out her contract for $211,000 after a philosophical dispute. :Staff writer Joe Smydo contributed to this report. Education writer Eleanor Chute can be reached at echute@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1955. Spampinato